Were January skies cloudier in Columbus this year? Fear not, sunshine is here for a bit
Whether it’s the weather, seasonal depression or the dread of a presidential election year, January in Columbus has been dreary. The relentless gray skies probably didn't help. Snow. Rain. Clouds. Thick stretches of fog from one end of Ohio to the other.
But was any of it unusual for a typical Central Ohio winter? Was it a figment of your imagination? Did we all suddenly wake up living in Seattle?
The answer is: No. It's not just you.
It's been sort of extra crummy looking out there this January, a fact backed up by the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Close to 3/4 of January experienced days with no sunshine, according to NWS data.
Was January 2024 especially cloudy this winter in Columbus?
Meteorologist Andy Matzos noted that January and December are already the two cloudiest months of the year, just about every year. In fact, an average January in Columbus usually experiences about 21 days with cloudy or mostly cloudy skies.
This month, we had 24.
January and December are the two cloudiest months in Columbus, Hatzos said. An average January in Columbus brings 21 days of cloudy or mostly cloudy skies. This month came with 24. That's three fewer days without sunlight.
"It's not actually that big of a change," Matzos said. "But it's slightly more than normal."
Was it also foggier or did it rain more in January?
Columbus also saw 18 days with fog. Hatzos said it was not abnormally foggy this year.
Rain was above average this January as well. Columbus saw a total of 3.25 inches of precipitation.
When will we ever see the sun shine again?
You're in luck. The sun came out today, giving us all renewed hope that a winter that feels extra long might eventually come to an end. Although it is a leap year, so it means it's going to be a little longer.
The NWS provided some fresh optimism today. Today is expected to remain partly sunny. Friday, the region should expect decreasing cloud cover, and the skies will remain mostly clear, dare we say, sunny at least through Wednesday of next week.
When does spring 2024 start?
While spring brings no guarantee that the precipitation and grey skies will go away, it certainly provides hope for warmer temperatures and the promise of summer.
Spring 2024 — or the vernal equinox — begins March 19, 2024, in the Northern Hemisphere. The season change comes just a few days after we set our clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time and regain that hour of sunlight at the end of the work day.
bagallion@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Were January skies in Central Ohio, Columbus extra gray this year?
